This invention relates generally to a concrete finishing tool, more specifically, to a bull float handle attachment device that allows for the pivotable attachment of an elongated handle to a bull float plate which can be rotated by the user to tilt the bull float plate on one edge or to change the pitch of the plate during its usage and application.
Bull floats are used in the construction industry by laborers and concrete finishers to smooth and finish slabs or sections of wet concrete. Numerous styles of concrete floats and other tools for finishing concrete have been available for sometime. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,398 to Tullis discloses a road tool in the nature of a box channel having an elongated handle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,881 to Negwer shows a type of adjustable bull float. U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,984 to Dunnigan provides a type of float used to finish plaster applied overhead. U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,460 to Haivala provides a concrete working tool having a channel member and an elongated handle connected thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,581 to Jarvis provides an improvement to a bull float assembly having a groover connectable with the bull float. U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,536 also to Jarvis, provides the improvement in a bull float comprising an adjustable handle mounting bracket which allows adjustment of the handle in various angles relative to the plate portion of the bull float assembly.
The prior art bull float assemblies have various drawbacks. For example, when finishing or smoothing a broad expanse of wet concrete, it may be desirable to have one or more laborers or concrete finishers on each side of the poured slab. One laborer can work the float across the concrete surface and then pass the long handle across to his counterpart so the other laborer can work the float across the other half of the wet slab. Unless the handle is pivotable, the flat surface of the float must be tilted putting one edge on the concrete surface thereby cause damage to the previously finished surface and require more time and labor to complete the job.
There are times, however, in finishing concrete, that it may be desirable to tilt the plate portion of the bull float on edge and draw the edge of the plate, rather than the entire flat surface of the float, across the wet concrete to impart a different texture or finish to the concrete. Using the edge also facilitates the finishing process at an extreme end or border of a poured slab. With most prior art bull float assemblies, it is necessary to apply downward pressure on the handle, using the handle as a lever, to tilt the float plate on edge so as to lift the flat surface of the plate off the wet concrete. This maneuver imparts unwanted downward pressure on the edge of the float plate resulting in a groove or crease in the wet concrete that must be repaired.
Furthermore, it is often desirable to change the angle of the bull float plate relative to the handle (e.g. the "pitch") so that the laborer can finish a slab that is not flat. With many conventional bull float assemblies, the laborer must either lift the handle to impart the proper pitch or bend down and lower the handle to the bull float. It is desirable, therefore, to have a bull float apparatus wherein the pitch of the bull float plate can be varied while the relative angle of the handle to the float remains the same so that the laborer can maintain a convenient hip and foot level without bending or lifting.
Some prior art bull float assemblies employ a pair of opposed chains wrapped helically around the lower end of the elongated handle and around the neck of the handle mounting bracket so that a rotational force of the handle imparts a pivotal force on the float plate so that twisting the handle will raise the float plate up on an edge and change the pitch without changing the angle of the handle to the float. Limited rotation in an opposite direction allows the float to return to a flat position. One such bull float assembly is known as the Hustler.RTM. by Goldblatt.RTM..
The above described device that allows for the tilting of the float by applying torque to the handle employing the helical chain arrangement has obvious drawbacks. The exposed chains allow the accumulation of wet concrete in the chainlinks which may interfere with its function and is very difficult to clean. Furthermore, the chains prevent complete pivoting of the handle relative to the float plate so that the handle cannot be pivoted from one side of the plate to the other side of the plate and is thus inconvenient to use on a broad expansive wet concrete in the manner previously described.